A Sorrowfull Goodbye
by Doll Girl
Summary: Raphael finds his brother but is he too late?


A/N Ok this took about three days to write and it's written on my brand new laptop! Updates on my other stories will come as soon as my writer's block goes away and my muse starts doing her job. BTW, I don't own the TMNT but if I did I would be married to Leonardo!

A Sorrowful Goodbye

Leo could barely lift his head. He was strapped down to a table. His blood covered it. He shut his eyes and grimanced as a another wave of pain hit him. He soon fell into a state of unconsciousness.

Bishop felt around inside the turtle's abdomen. He looked at the heart monitor as it quickened. "No don't die yet!"

Leo opened his eyes and stared at the opposite side of of Bishop. "Mmmmast-ster Yo-Yoshi?"

Yoshi smiled at him and put a hand on his shoulder. "Shhh rest Leonardo. It will soon be over."

Leo rested his head on the hand and shut his eyes. He drew in a breath and let it out.

After a few minutes the heart monitor flatlined.

Raphael ran across the rooftops in search of his lost sibling. His mind raced with thoughts of what could've happened that night four months ago when Leonardo had vanished. He stopped when he heard the sound of a dumpster being slammed shut. He looked in an alley and saw four elite ninjas and Bishop.

Bishop sneered. "I only needed two more days! Couldn't that overgrown reptile have lasted just a little longer? Let's go . Maybe I'll get lucky and catch Michelangelo. One day."

Raph lept down angrily. "Ya touch him and ya're dead!"

Bishop smirked. "Ah Raphael. You will be pleased to know that your brother is free. No matter what myself or the Foot have done he refused to reveal anything."

Raphael drew his sais and attacked in a blind rage. Once he did they vanished.

"Cowards!" he screamed.

After a few seconds he shakingly opened the dumpster and stared in horror. "Leo!"

Leonardo was unrecognizable. His plastron was cut open and there was nothing where is insides should be. His shell was smashed in. Dried blood covered him from head to toe. His legs and arms hung at odd angles which proved that they were broken. His face bore scars and bruises and he was very pale which could only mean that he had gotten sick. He looked as if he had not eaten for weeks. His blue bandanna was soaked with blood and was shredded.

The red clad turtle couldn't take his eyes off of his brother. After a few minutes he dragged Leo out and gently layed him down. "No Leo no!" He contined to whisper his deceased brother's name over and over. He shut his eyes and gripped him close. Four months of grief spilled out that night as his sobs rang out.

Rain began to pour as if it were crying with him. The torrents washed off the blood from Leo's face and onto the ground.

Raphael was so grief-stricken and angry that he didn't see his brother's ghost standing in front of him. He couldn't see him because of his own guilt and pain. He jerked up when he felt something cold on his shoulder. He put his hand there and felt something that he hadn't felt in four months.

It wasn't the gesture that reminded him nor did the cold give him away but Raphael knew in his heart who was there. It had been the love and compassion of only one turtle that gave the red bandannaed one comfort.

It was the same comfort from his older brother. He remembered all those years when they were tots how Leo took care of him, Don, and Mike whenever Splinter had to leave.

Leonardo had taken it upon himself to take care of his siblings,not because he had to, but because he wanted to. He did it out of love.

Raphael looked up and knew that he was meeting his brother's eyes. "I...I know it's you Leo."

Leo smiled but couldn't communicate with him.

"Even in death huh?" Raph sighed and sniffed some. "Ya alway's watched ova us. Leo I never told you this but you're my hero."

Leo looked at him strangely.

"Ya were always carin' fer us. Eva since we was little you have always been there. I love you for that..."he trailed off as his tears came again. "Please know that even though I treated ya like dirt I always cared! How could I not? I'm sorry Leonardo! I never deserved you for a brother!" He shut his eyes as he was suddenly overwhelmed with grief. He broke down again.

Leo hugged him. _Master Yoshi please let me speak with him!_

Raph opened his eyes when a white glow appeared. He jerked away and fell backwards in shock. "Oh shell I'm goin' insane!"

Leo laughed. "No you're not Raph."

Raph slumped down against the wall. "Leo why?"

"I fought Raph but there were things that were too strong for me," Leo said sitting beside him.

"Leo, will you do me a favor?"

Leo nodded. "Of course bro."

Raph gulped. "Don't leave."

"Not until you let me but keep in mind that I can't be at peace until I know you'll be all right."

Raph sighed and held his head in one of his hands. "Figures. Leo wh...what killed you?"

Leo sighed. "Bishop injected me with something that he called liquid cancer."

"Aw shell, ya had cancer?" Raph asked. He spoke in a whisper.

Leo put his arm around him. "Raphael look at me bro."

Raph did. "Yeah?"

"None of this is your fault. Yeah we fought but I always knew that I could count on you to come through in a pinch. I never told you this but when I was hurt that Christmas and all of you were telling me those stories you came through the clearest."

"I did?" Raph asked in disbelief.

Leo smiled. "Yes you did. You are being way to hard on yourself. You, Don, Mike, and Master Splinter helped me last as long as I did. I wanted them to let me go so that I could go home. Karai tried to help me but she was imprisoned for her actions and killed three days before I died."

Raph smiled a little. "So ya together at last eh?"

Leo laughed. "Yeah I guess you could say that. Feel better?"

Raph nodded. "A little but do you know what you are about to cause?"

Leo chuckled. "A pissed off rat and two more pissed off brothers who will swear to avenge me."

Raph hugged him. "That's only a few. April, Casey, Usagi, Leatherhead, the Utroms, the guardians, and even the Triceretons will help us catch that creep."

Leo returned the hug. "I love you Raphael. You be sure to take care of yourself and the others."

Raph nodded. "And Leo?"

"Hmmm."

"I love you too. I'm proud and honored to have known you and to have you as my brother."

For a few moments time seemed to stop as the two brother's embraced.

Raph drew in a breath to do the hardest thing that he had ever done before. "Go Leonardo. Be at peace and say hi to Master Yoshi for us."

Leo smiled. "I will and thank you." He vanished.

Raph sat there for a moment. He hadn't even noticed that the rain had stopped a while ago. He looked at his brother's corpse and smiled a little at the look of peace that was on his face. He got up and picked up his brother. He carried him home knowing that nothing would ever be the same again but he felt better knowing that they had two guardian angels watching over them.

The End

A masterpiece if I do say so myself. As always R&R!


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